All Roar, No Bite
Posted by Jasper Reed in A-League, Queensland Roar | 15 February 2006
Queensland Roar are fast becoming the A Leagues comedy club, an antipodean version of Newcastle (the English one) with apologies to my colleagues at Extra Tyne. Massive support, probably the best stadium in the league but a dubious manager, underachieving team and an innate ability to keep everyone else entertained.
Outside of a finals berth that they consider to be rightfully theirs, they continue to try and upstage the finalists.
Most of the fun has centered around coach Miron Bleiberg. The outspoken German has tried to stir most of the clubs in the league at some point, in a classic case of taliking the talk without walking the walk. Bleiberg suggested that Suncorp stadium was a 'fortress' (they won 2 games in front of their home fans all year), took the moral high ground over his teams attacking style when they did not score 3 times in a match until round 20, and also said that Sydney were in 'desperate' position before their clash at Suncorp in Sepetember. The Roar lost 3-1.
He saved his best for Adelaide, though, pronouncing that they 'did not fully deserve to be top' in the days before the Red's win at Suncorp, but that he would be 'first to shake (Adelaide coach) Kosmina's hand if they win.' He did, and simultaneously launched another verbal assault on his southern counterpart.
With constant speculation that Bleiberg would be replaced during the off season, striker Alex Brosque, linked all year with a move of his own to glamour club Sydney FC, announced on Friday that he would likely leave if the coach was sacked. A bold gesture of solidarity. Too bold. Realizing that he had tied his future to the very wobbly Bleiberg wagon, Brosque confirmed on Saturday that he had signed a 3 year contract with Sydney.
No word on Bleiberg's future at the moment, but it looks like being an eventful off-season in the banana bending state.
